United Realty Group wins legal battle with United Country

United Realty Group of Plantation can keep using its name, a federal judge ruled Friday. United Country Real Estate of Kansas City, Missouri, last year sued the fast-growing company, alleging the upstart had taken a “confusingly similar” name to the older firm.

“Plaintiff United Country Real Estate LLC failed to meet its burden of establishing that defendant United Realty Group Inc. is infringing on its two federal trademark registrations for the word ‘UNITED’ in violation of the Lanham Act,” U.S. District Judge Beth Brooks wrote in a judgment.

The two real estate companies battled it out during a four-day bench trial earlier this year. United Realty’s response to United Country: United is such a common name that no one company can claim it.

United Realty pointed to dozens of other real estate companies around the nation that use the United name. A partial inventory: Young United Realty and United Professional Realty in Broward County, United Realty Consultants in Martin County, United Realty International and RE/MAX United Realty in Miami-Dade County, United Realty Corp. of Ocala and United Realty Ventures in Largo.

In her opinion, Brooks noted that United Realty Group found no fewer than 45 real estate brokers using United in their names. Meanwhile, Brooks noted that the rivals primarily battle for agents rather than consumers.

“The relevant consumer base here — i.e., real estate agents — is at the very least relatively sophisticated,” Brooks wrote. “This is so because, as demonstrated at trial, real estate agents are educated, licensed professionals. An individual who aspires to become a licensed real estate agent in Florida must complete 60 hours of training for a pre-license class, pass a license examination, and then pass a state-sponsored examination.”

United Realty is a fast-growing company that has been adding agents with a 100 percent model. Agents keep their entire commission but pay the company a fee of $299 per transaction.

United Realty had 544 agents in Palm Beach County as of February, making it the county’s second-largest real estate firm.